Cole Palmer’s latest absence from the England squad has drawn a pointed response from manager Thomas Tuchel, who says the Chelsea forward is missing valuable chances to establish himself with the national team.
Palmer was expected to be part of England’s squad for the Nations League campaign after receiving a recall from Tuchel. However, the 24-year-old pulled out of the camp because of an injury, ruling him out of Saturday’s meeting with Spain at Wembley.
His withdrawal was part of a wider injury setback for England, with Declan Rice, Marcus Rashford, Kobbie Mainoo and Tino Livramento also unavailable.
Tuchel said Palmer’s repeated absences have made it difficult for him to properly assess the player in an England environment.
“For sure. It is a missed opportunity. He misses too many opportunities,” Tuchel said.
The German manager made it clear that he was not accusing Palmer of deliberately missing international duty. Instead, he said the Chelsea star’s recurring injury problems have simply prevented him from taking part in several England camps.
“I don’t blame him for it. It is just a fact. He misses way too many camps with injuries,” Tuchel explained.
According to Tuchel, being physically present with the national team is important because players get the opportunity to demonstrate their qualities directly to the manager.
“If you’re not in camp, there is a next level to impress that you cannot achieve because you can only do it when you are actually on the pitch with me,” he said.
Palmer’s latest setback comes after a strong start to the season. Before withdrawing from the England squad, the Chelsea attacker had scored four goals and registered two assists in seven appearances.
Tuchel said Palmer’s decision to withdraw was understandable because the player had been struggling with pain and was not able to perform at the required level.
“My understanding is that he is playing with discomfort and pain, and he cannot compete at the highest level with discomfort and pain,” the England manager said.
He added that Palmer and Chelsea had informed England about the situation before the player left the squad.
Palmer had been recalled after missing out on England’s World Cup squad earlier this year, making his latest absence particularly significant in terms of his opportunity to work with Tuchel and compete for a place in the team.
Tuchel also pushed back against the common description of international fixtures as an “international break,” saying England’s camps should not be treated simply as a period for managing players’ workloads.
“This is not an international break,” he said, stressing that representing England is a competitive experience as well as an opportunity for players to build team spirit.
The manager said the team had developed a strong sense of unity since the start of the qualifying campaign and insisted that would not be compromised.
“We will never compromise on that,” Tuchel said.
With Palmer unavailable, Tuchel said his attention would remain on the players who are fit and ready to represent England.
“We focus on the guys who absolutely want to play for England,” he added.
Palmer will therefore miss England’s Nations League clash against reigning world champions Spain at Wembley, leaving Tuchel to work with the available players as the campaign begins.
